Chapter 175: Chapter 174: Glimpsing the Vast World Again

"How beautiful," Li Qingshuang said in awe.

As far as the eye could see, the main gate of Daluo Palace stood at the foot of Eastern Mountain. Four cyan dragons coiled around its pillars, with shrines to the Seven Mansions interwoven among them. A grand staircase of exactly 1,296 steps, shaped like a "Cyan Dragon Emerges from the Water," snaked its way up to a platform halfway up the mountain. There stood the first hall of Daluo Palace—the Spirit Official Hall.

Li Qingshuang vaguely recalled the craftsmen who built Daluo Palace mentioning something about it. They said each step symbolized one hundred years, meaning the 1,296 steps represented a total of 129,600 years—the duration of a cosmic epoch. To walk from the mountain gate to the palace was to traverse the great calamity of an epoch, to transcend the Three Realms and the Five Elements, and to arrive at the Daluo Celestial Palace itself.

She didn’t quite understand the full meaning, but she had a feeling it was something truly profound.

’This Daluo Palace is definitely no ordinary place. Its history might run even deeper than the Court’s.’

"Emerge from the mountains in times of chaos, live in seclusion during times of peace. Practice Righteousness and Heroism, delivering justice on Heaven’s behalf..."

Li Qingshuang couldn’t resist looking over at Gu Zhao. His sharp profile, framed by the sun and the white snow, seemed to glow with a light called hope. His deep, dark eyes were filled with vibrant energy and an uplifting spirit.

For a moment, she found the sight dazzling and had to look away.

Taking a deep breath, Li Qingshuang warned him, "You need to be careful of the Ink Flood Dragon in Pingjiang Prefecture."

Gu Zhao turned to her. "I’ve heard of him. He’s supposedly the godson of the Dragon King of Wanling River. He lives in seclusion in Mo Lake within Pingjiang Prefecture and rarely emerges."

Li Qingshuang sighed. "Emerging only once every year or two... I suppose you could call that ’seclusion.’"

"Then why should I be careful of him?" Gu Zhao asked.

"Because every time he emerges, he summons the clouds and rain, then performs Soul-Devouring and eats people. A single feeding consumes an entire county—thirty to fifty thousand lives," Li Qingshuang said matter-of-factly.

Gu Zhao’s gaze went distant. "Thirty years ago, for the sake of his Cultivation, an Old Ao also planned to use the entire population of Wuhe County for a blood sacrifice."

"Compared to the Ink Flood Dragon, that Old Ao was like a firefly to the bright moon," Li Qingshuang said, shaking her head.

Gu Zhao felt his lips go dry. "I hear that Ink Flood Dragon has three thousand years of Dao Practice."

"At least that much, if not more," Li Qingshuang said. "Years ago, after the Dragon King of Wanling River stirred the waters into a frenzy, the Ink Flood Dragon flooded eight hundred *li* of plains, creating a vast marshland. Countless people drowned. To this day, the bottom of Mo Lake is a mountain of white bones, a place where the living dare not tread.

After that, he took up reclusive Cultivation in Mo Lake, emerging every two or three years for Soul-Devouring and to eat people. He mostly preys on the surrounding four prefectures: Lianshan, Qianshan, Bai Shi, and Pingjiang.

And because the Ink Flood Dragon is the godson of the Dragon King of Wanling River, there are no particularly powerful figures in those four Prefecture Cities. Even if there are Great Demons living in reclusion, none would dare to challenge him."

Gu Zhao’s eyes lit up with understanding. "So that means there are more powerful masters in Yongzhou to the east and Yazhou to the south?"

Li Qingshuang nodded. "The Great Ning Court rules over a total of twenty-three states and 198 prefectures. If these places didn’t have masters of their own, they would have been devoured by outside forces long ago."

Gu Zhao pursed his lips and didn’t ask for more details, lest he reveal his ignorance.

’But from Li Qingshuang’s words, he was able to piece together a small part of the bigger picture. He deduced that Bai Shi Prefecture, south of Changping Prefecture, likely didn’t have any major powerhouses either. Even if it did, they would be on par with those in Changping Prefecture.

Once we accumulate a bit more strength, we can start expanding into Bai Shi Prefecture.’

At this thought, Gu Zhao suddenly asked, "Do you know how many years of Dao Practice the Dragon King of Ten Thousand Spirits has?"

Li Qingshuang paused, startled, then shook her head. "I don’t know. But back then, the Supreme Profound Sect Leader of the Xuanwei Divine Sect personally made a move against him and failed to take him down. That’s the reason the Xuanwei Divine Sect withdrew from Wanling Jiangnan."

Gu Zhao understood.

Li Qingshuang continued, "The Dragon King of Ten Thousand Spirits is tyrannical by nature. After he stirred up the river, the entire political landscape of Wanling Jiangnan changed. In the Jiangzhou Five Prefectures, the Six Prefectures of Yongzhou, and the Nine Prefectures of Yazhou, all manner of Demons and Ghosts emerged. The good went into hiding while the wicked rose to power."

"Compared to them, Daluo Palace is an anomaly," Li Qingshuang said, looking at Gu Zhao. "If you continue to operate this way, I’m afraid everyone around you will see you as a threat. They might even come looking for trouble."

Gu Zhao waved his hand dismissively, full of confidence. "If they don’t come looking for me, I’ll go looking for them."

’Li Qingshuang’s words confirmed it: most Cultivators in this world have less than five hundred years of Dao Practice.

Those who surpass five hundred years, like the Golden Wind Divine King, are powerful enough to establish their own sects and rule over a prefecture. As for beings like the Ink Flood Dragon and the Dragon King of Wanling River, they are on a level beyond the comprehension of ordinary Cultivators, and there aren’t many of them.

And yet, in the half-year since I transmigrated here, Taoist Yan Song and Taoist Yi Hong have both had a Realm Breakthrough, reaching five hundred years of Dao Practice. Taoist Ming Yu, Taoist Jing Feng, and Yunyang are catching up quickly, and I’m just one step away myself.

This just shows the true value of the Five Thunders Order. It’s practically designed for Eradicating Evil and Accumulating Merit!

We’ve already reached five hundred years of Dao Practice. Is a thousand years now within reach? Is three thousand just around the corner? Is five thousand on the distant horizon? And Ten Thousand Years of Dao Practice... is it even possible?

Ahem, getting a little ahead of myself.’

Gu Zhao reined in his excitement and looked at Li Qingshuang. "Doing Good Deeds and Accumulating Virtue, Eradicating Evil and Accumulating Merit—these are the guiding principles of Daluo Palace. That will never change."

Li Qingshuang nodded, her eyes softening as she looked at him. "I believe you."

’She had heard stories from the Silk Embroideress about the old Daoists of Daluo Palace traveling around to exorcise ghosts and vanquish fiends. She felt that every one of them was utterly intolerant of injustice, hating evil as if it were a personal vendetta. At times, their methods were even more aggressive than the Spirit Court’s.

A faction like this shouldn’t be allowed to perish, surrounded by a pack of wolves.’

"The Court won’t allow the Five States of Jiangnan to secede," Li Qingshuang said, comforting Gu Zhao. "It’s just that right now, the Great Wilderness Demon Tribe in the Northern Wilderness and the various Divine Countries in the West are making moves, so the Court has its hands full.

As long as they can stabilize the West and the North and suppress the poisonous dragon in the Nine-Colored Pool of the Southern Mountains, the Dragon King of Ten Thousand Spirits will eventually be forced to compromise. After all, the Cyan Star Academy Master and the Dragon King are of the same race."

Gu Zhao nodded but said nothing.

’That’s a lot of information to take in at once. I need a moment to process it.’

Zhuo Qingyan glanced from Gu Zhao to Li Qingshuang, a thoughtful expression flickering in her eyes. She then asked, "If the Dragon King of Wanling River and the Cyan Star Academy Master are of the same race, why did he cause such a disturbance in the river?"

"I don’t know the specifics, only that it was rumored to be related to a poisonous dragon in the Southern Mountains." Li Qingshuang shook her head. "They are all great masters with thousands of years of Dao Practice. How could someone like me know the inside story?"

Gu Zhao laughed. "If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. We don’t need to worry about matters that we’re not qualified to worry about."

"That’s true." Li Qingshuang nodded, then shook her head with a self-deprecating smile.

’I was trying to comfort him, but in the end, he was the one comforting me.’

Just then, the Silk Embroideress came running hurriedly up the mountain, with Bai Ke perched steadily on her shoulder. "Young Master! Young Master!"

The three of them turned in unison.

"What’s wrong?"

"Xiaobai can transform!"

"What?"

Bai Ke, who had been resting on the Silk Embroideress’s shoulder, suddenly leaped into the air. Her entire fox-like body began to emit a hazy white light. It was a brilliance that seemed to penetrate one’s very Divine Soul, and even Gu Zhao couldn’t see what was happening within it.

The next moment, the white light faded, revealing a charming young girl standing gracefully in its place. She wore a lily-white dress of light gauze, subtly embroidered with cloud patterns.